We live in a time of deep distrust--of each other, the media, and institutions of all kinds. In this volume of essays, innovativejournalists from newspapers, public radio, civic media groups, andnew media collectives examine how we've reached this point. Theloss of newspapers and fracturing of the information ecosystemhave weakened our sense of a shared identity, but many people havelong felt excluded, misrepresented, and unable to see themselvesand their experiences reflected in news reporting. These essayshighlight opportunities that are emerging as old practices give wayto the new demands of an engaged, diverse, and restive public. Theycall on us to create a more inclusive democratic narrative that bettercaptures the rich diversity of our nation and its complicated history.

About the Kettering Foundation

The Kettering Foundation is a nonpartisan, nonprofit operating foundation rooted in the American tradition of cooperative research. Kettering's primary research question is: What does it take to make democracy work as it should? Kettering's research is distinctive because it is conducted from the perspective of citizens and focuses on what people can do collectively to address problems affecting their lives, their communities, and their nation. For more information about Kettering research and publications, see the Kettering Foundation's website at www.kettering.org.